The Search
by Bym06
Summary: Annabeth wakes up one morning at Camp Half-Blood to find her boyfriend, Percy Jackson, missing. This is a collection of her days searching for him during the Lost Hero. Set in Annabeth's POV.


Percy and I sang along with the rest of the happy campers. The Apollo cabin was leading us through the usual campfire songs. Everyone joined in, and we were all having fun. The air was filled with the combined sounds of laughter and music.

Then the guitar stopped, and Will Solace stood up.

"Time for bed everyone," he announced. The campers groaned, but Will managed to chuckle.

He walked away with the rest of his cabin. Everyone else cleared away too.

Percy and I lingered by the campfire for a while. Almost every night, we would sit together by the empty fire, alone and in the darkness, studying the shining white stars above.

I lay my head on his chest as we sat there. I sighed contentedly; it was nice to be together.

"Annabeth," Percy shook me softly as I started to nod off. "It's getting late. We should go." He stood up to leave.

I nodded and gave Percy a soft goodnight kiss.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I told him. Percy smiled, and walked back to Cabin 3.

Back in the Athena Cabin, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I woke up realizing I'd had a dreamless sleep. I felt uneasy, because that was unusual for me.

I stretched and pulled the covers off my legs. I looked around. Some of my half-siblings were already busy roaming around.

Soon the whole cabin was awake and ready for the day. We headed out to the pavillion for breakfast.

Like every morning, I went to the Poseidon Cabin before eating. Percy and I would walk to breakfast together.

I knocked on the cabin door. There was no response. I tried again. Still nothing. What was wrong? Was Percy still asleep?

I crept inside the cabin. No one was there. I looked everywhere. He wasn't in bed. He wasn't in the bathroom. Percy was nowhere to be found.

I kept searching for so long, I missed breakfast. I knew it was hopeless, but I didn't stop.

He couldn't have just disappeared.

I reluctantly ran out of the cabin. Around me, campers were already beginning their usual activities.

I went looking for Chiron and spotted him at the archery range teaching a class.

"Chiron!" I screamed, running to him. "Chiron, something's wrong!"

The centaur turned around at the tone of my voice.

"What's wrong, Annabeth?" he asked urgently.

"It's Percy," I cried. "He's disappeared!"

Chiron picked me up and threw me onto his back. He ran to Cabin 3.

We got to the door and I slipped off his back. Usually Chiron didn't come inside the cabins in horse form, but today he made an exeption.

He kept his head ducked low as he searched the inside.

I stayed in a corner of the cabin, tears streaming down my face. I didn't bother to tell the centaur that I had already looked.

How could this have happened? Percy and I were together last night. We were happy. Where could he have run off to?

Chiron finished his search without luck.

"Come," he said. "We must check the woods."

I ran outside, with Chiron right behind me.

The woods weren't too far from the cabins. I ran inside without fear.

Chiron and I split up and went in opposite directions. I knew there were monsters stocked in the woods, but I didn't bother with any of them.

I went to the creek. Nothing. I went to the Myrmeke's nest. Still nothing. I went to Zeus' Fist. No one was there.

I spun around in circles, my breath ragged. Eventually I sat down on one of the boulders that made up Zeus' Fist and cried.

I sobbed for a while in silence. No one came to look for me, not even Chiron.

Suddenly there was a flash of golden light. I looked up and saw Hera, Queen of Mount Olympus.

I wiped my nose on my hand and stood up. My hands balled themselves into fists.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

Hera's eyed narrowed. "I came to help you," she said. " _If_ you want it."

I stamped my foot. "Just tell me what you came here for."

"That is no way to speak to a goddess, Annabeth Chase!"

I crossed my arms and glared daggars at the queen. We each stood there, unmoving, waiting to see who would react first.

Finally, Hera took a deep breath. "I'm here," she said through gritted teeth, "to help you find Percy Jackson."

I gasped. Did she really know anything? Was she being truthful?

No, I thought. Hera never told anything but lies. All she cared about was her family, her _perfect_ family.

But if she really knew anything about Percy, I _had_ to know.

I closed my eyes and took a risk.

"Where is he?" I huffed.

"His exact location is obscured," Hera said. I rolled my eyes. No help from her, as usual.

"However," Hera continued, "I do know someone that has his whereabouts."

My eyes lit up. "Who?" I asked, getting anxious.

"The answer lies with _the person with one shoe_."

"One shoe?" I stamped my foot. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Hera shook her head. "This is all I can tell you. My husband, Zeus, watches me even now. I must return to Olympus."

The goddess began to glow as she revealed her true godly form. I shielded my eyes.

When I looked back, the queen was gone.

I began pacing around. One shoe... one shoe... What was that supposed to mean? Who only wears _one_ shoe?

I shook my head and sat back down.

Eventually Chiron found me. I looked behind him, hoping hhe had some good news, but then his face told me otherwise.

"Let's go back to the camp, Annabeth," my mentor said gently. I nodded my head and stood up. Chiron began cantering away.

I strayed behind just enough to whisper to the wind.

"Percy," I said. "Where are you?"


End file.
